Mission Ministry

At Greece Baptist Church, we are deeply committed to sharing the love of Jesus Christ through missions as we serve people in need in our own neighborhood, throughout the country, and around the world.

Mission Ministry is, in part, sending money to people and places to facilitate the important work of missionaries and humanitarian organizations across the globe. This is a way of stretching ourselves to accomplish goals that we alone could not achieve. Our commitment to this aspect of Missions means that we tithe our pledged income; 10% of all pledged goes toward carefully selected mission organizations.

In addition, we are able to pool our resources in other creative ways. For the past two years, Greece Baptist Church has hosted an Alternative Gift Market at Christmastime. This event showcased alternative gifts from World Vision, Cameron Community Ministries, Heifer International, Church World Service, Andy's Gift (soccer balls for children in Afghanistan), PET Project (wheelchair-like personal transportation devices), and China Care (helping make possible a child's heart surgery). Gifts purchases were given on behalf of a loved one, to someone in need. For example, one could buy a goat for someone in a poor African community, wrap up a commemorative card, and place it under the Christmas tree in lieu of a traditional gift.

The other important component of Missions is the act of serving others. It is our responsibility as Christians to seek opportunities to meet the needs of others around us. Most recently, we came together as a congregation with this purpose in mind on our first ever "Faith in Action Day". Instead of attending regular Sunday School classes, all members were invited to participate in some sort of mission or service work. A variety of options was available, allowing people of all ages and ability levels to participate. It was an uplifting event for all who participated, and the plan is to hold a similar event in October 2009.

A Greece Baptist Church family stands in front of the many bags of food that were collected during neighborhood scavenger hunts, going door to door asking for donations for the food shelf.

A fourth home is being planned for 2009 at 119 Whitney Street.

Sponsoring a home consists of two phases:

• First, funds need to be raised - approximately $65,000. The monies have been raised via Thanksgiving Pie Sales (from Kelly Apple Farms), a celebrity car wash, golf tournaments, and individual church contributions.
• Second, congregational members volunteer to help construct the home. Volunteers enjoy the camaraderie and gain insights into home construction from the laying of cinder blocks to the raising of rafters for the roof.

The Greece Ecumenical Food Shelf, Inc. has evolved from a modest beginning at Greece Baptist Church in May of 1977. In the first few years an average of 150 people were helped each year. Today, over 30 years later, the Food Shelf feeds close to 4,500 clients annually. After moving several times over the years, the shelf is now located in a Town-owned facility on Maiden Lane.

The Food Shelf is an emergency pantry. The all-volunteer organization warehouses and delivers food to clients in the Town of Greece and the Charlotte area of the city of Rochester. Much of the food is donated from churches, businesses and individuals. Monetary donations are used to purchase fresh food.

GBC Members do some cleaning
at the food shelf

Volunteer drivers are always in need at the Shelf. This involves delivering fresh and non-perishable food to the clients' homes. The contact number for the Food Shelf is 277-5370.

The Greece Ecumenical Clothing Closet started as Gramma Janes' Clothing Closet in a small utility closet at Greece Baptist Church. Just as with the Ecumenical Food Shelf, the Clothing Closet outgrew its facilities and is now part of the same building that houses the Food Shelf.

The Clothing Closet receives donations of gently used clothing and distributes them. There is no charge for any items, and the Closet is also staffed entirely by volunteers.

Cameron Community Ministries

One Member Talks About Commitment to Missions and Cameron Community Ministries

"My role within the church through the years has always been to serve the Lord where I feel I am most needed. It was during a sermon at worship that I felt the calling to volunteer at Cameron Community Ministries. For those of you who do not know about this ministry, it is an ecumenical urban community in Rochester Lyell-Otis neighborhood, which has a high poverty rate. I grew up in this area never thinking I would return and be so involved for nearly 20 years. My main focus has always been the clothing house and the distribution of clothing.

In 2008, through the generous donations of so many churches, organizations and individuals we were able to serve 1,257 families. We gave out personal hygiene supplies, layettes and small household items. It has been a joy to do this.

Sarah Circle, of which I am a member, has participated in Cameron's Sunday Celebration where we provide a meal for anyone that comes for dinner. This gives us an opportunity to not only serve but also to sit and enjoy conversation with these folks. I always feel so blessed that I can be a part of this ministry. There are so many ways to volunteer. Seeing every child fed, every child served with after-school reading, homework help, and Summer Safe Haven, is so fulfilling. There is so much more being done and needing to be done."

For more information about Cameron, see: www.CameronMinistries.com or call (585) 254-2697.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

The Prayer Shawl Ministry is one of Greece Baptist Church's newest ministries. We formally meet about twice a year. Otherwise, members prayerfully knit and crochet their shawls at home. During just our first year, we gave out over 60 shawls to church and community members in need. A few shawls have even gone out of state.

White Cross

The Women's Society of Greece Baptist Church has sponsored White Cross for many years. The mission of White Cross is to reach out to those less fortunate with our time, gifts and money.

Time is given by members of the Sarah and Dorcas Circles. Bandages are made and rolled and cloths are cut for shipping to hospitals in Africa. Quilting pieces are cut for shipping to mission centers to be made into quilts. This year we rolled 50 bandages and cut 550 cloths and 2,000 quilting pieces.

Gifts and money are given in the form of School, Hygiene and Baby kits. These needs are met by our Church members through the Mission Board's "One Day of Sharing," and the early Spring White Cross drive. This year we were able to ship four Baby Layettes, 39 School Kits and 28 Hygiene Kits. Money was also sent to Myanmar by the Women's Society to help people in desperate circumstances.

Gifts are also given to help meet local needs. This year, Church members donated women's clothing, basketballs and comforters to the Cameron Community Ministries, a local non-profit organization helping those in their community who are in need.

With so many suffering from civil unrest, natural disaster and uncertainty in their lives both locally and worldwide, the need for White Cross never diminishes.